


I'd pick a fight with you over a party with them anytime

by Clementines



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 07:31:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2301560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clementines/pseuds/Clementines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cristiano is sad, again. What is it this time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'd pick a fight with you over a party with them anytime

**Author's Note:**

> This just came and it's late so forgive the grammar and spelling errors there may be.

Cristiano is glaring at Fábio from the other side of the pitch. The Blonde is laughing with James, totally oblivious to his boyfriend, well, now ex-boyfriend’s glare. The brunette sighs and turns around shaking his head. How had they come to this moment? A few months ago, he was absolutely happy, ecstatic. The team was flying high, they had la Décima, they were all on good terms, his private life was perfect and Fábio was in his arms then the summer came around. 

What a horrible summer, never to be repeated, thought Cristiano. First, the world cup... not worth mentioning or thinking about again, really. Not only had his national team absolutely failed, his injures had gotten worse for absolutely nothing. Moreover, he and Fáb had gone through their first big fight after the longest time, Cristiano couldn’t even remember what was their last fight before that one. It had been complicated to handle then Fábio had gotten injured and went home. While Cristiano had been on holydays with friends, Fábio had spend the summer with his family, far away of any kind of agitation. 

Things, however, had gotten back to normal –well, almost- when they both returned to the team. The blonde had welcomed Cristiano with a smile, having forgotten everything about their fight. Cristiano was more than happy to never mention it again. Although their time apart had been positive for both, he wasn’t keen on repeating the experience any time soon. Life was exciting again: the team had never reinforced itself better, his public image was under control, the private side handled and the promise of the undécima on the horizon. 

Then things got complicated again. Ángel left and it bothered him but that he could handle because he knew it was coming, he had known for a long time. But then Xabi fled and he was suddenly mad at him because, although not one of his best friends, he was important for the team and he was letting them down without any notice. They started to lose and, well, things weren’t getting any better. His physical shape was being constantly questioned and they had lost a derbi to Atlético de Madrid, another one, again. That team was getting on his nerves really hard. 

Everyone who looked close enough had noticed it, Cristiano was sad. His megawatt smile was faker now and his eyes didn’t shine as much as they usually did. Although the team problems were one of the reasons, there were more of them. Some personal problems, Fábio being one of them. They had distanced from each other slightly, without previous warning. Their inoffensive bickering became more and more regular, until they finally turned into fights. At first, it was the little things: you didn’t call last night, you were already gone when I woke up, you could have texted... Then the topics of discussion became more complex ones: I want you for myself, I am tired of hiding, I feel guilty about lying... Then one night, one stupid night like any other night, it had blown out. 

 

“You don’t care anymore, do you?”

“Cut the bullshit Fáb, of course I care.”

The blonde chuckled, then something flashed into his eyes, something that scared Cristiano. He knew Fábio well enough; he liked to think he knew him better than anybody else actually did. He was very sensible but he could take a lot from the persons he loved. You could send him to hell; he would stay by your side, loyal to a fault. There was a line, however, to never cross because, if you crossed it, he was gone forever. People like Fábio functioned like that; they were very difficult to lose, but once you lose them, you just don’t get them back. At the moment, Cristiano only prayed to not have crossed that line. 

“I can’t do it anymore.”

“Fábio, what are you talking about?”

He signaled the space between them both with his index and Cristiano had never been more conscious of the distance that physically separated them. 

“The sneaking around, the lying, the guilt, I can’t do it anymore. It makes me sad, Cris. Unbelievably sad.”

“Stop.”

“No, you know it’s not the same anymore. You spend more time with James and Gareth than with me.”

“It’s just because...”

The blonde, however, had rehashed that moment a million times in his head for the last month and wouldn’t let Cristiano interrupt him. 

“It’s just because it’s easy, I know. Lately, all we do is fighting and it gets exhausting so you just keep away. I know that.”

Cristiano sighed. “It’s not a way to handle it, I know and I’m sorry but we can talk it out Fáb, we can solve it. We have to solve it.”

But the blonde only shook his head, sadly. “It’s already a miracle that we’ve come so far. This should have been over years ago.”

“Don’t.”

“It’s better, for both of us. I can stop the guilty and you can have just what you want, you can have it easy Cris, easy and fun.”

“Fábio, don’t. Please, don’t.”

On his way to the door, the blonde had only added a few words: “We’re still friends, though.” 

A little smile, some tears unshed still in the eyes, and it was over.

 

Cristiano hadn’t been able to wrap his head around it so he had simply ignored it. He hadn’t fought to change it; he was too tired to. At first, he even thought that the blonde had been right. They had drifted apart lately; how, it was still a mystery to Cristiano but they had. He indeed was tired of the fights; he wanted the easy and the fun back. Maybe it was for the best after all. He had started to hang out more with Sergio, but with Iker in the picture the defender didn’t have much time for Cristiano. The brunette had therefore turn to his two official fan boys, Gareth and James. 

They were nice guys. At first it was fun to see the admiration etched on the young Colombian’s face. He had laughed at James ‘gestures, identical to his. He had been proud when Gareth copied his goal celebrations. It was good; it was easy, fun and harmless. Exactly what he needed, exactly what he had wanted. Soon enough, the moments of training shared with Fábio before turned into moments of insouciance with Gareth and James. The goal celebrations, his and Fábio’s private little thing, became the trio’s too. Cristiano felt young again, no strings attached, the world at his feet for him to take. 

The smile never got fully back. It was still faker; it didn’t reach the eyes just yet. Then he had received an intervention from Pepe and Marcelo, one he wasn’t ready to forget. The training session over, everybody had left the changing room but them. Seeing as his two friends were having a staring contest where he was the center of attention, he finally decided to speak.

 

“Do I have something on my face?”

Pepe had been the first to talk, serious worry etched on his features. “What are you doing Cristiano?”  
“Pardon?”

Marcelo had sighed and looked at him with his serious expression, one he didn’t use very much. “With James and Gareth, what are you doing?”

Cristiano had snorted. “What are you, my mother? That’s not your problem.”

“Cris, listen to us.” Pepe sighed. “You’re going to regret this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I get that they are young, exciting and fan girling all over you but, down the road, you’ll end up miss Fábio. It may take a week, a month or a year but it’s going to happen and I just don’t want it to be too late.”

Cristiano just shook his head. “Look, Fábio and I were bad, okay? He decided to walk away, not me. I can go on with my life.”

Marcelo took a sit next to him on the bench and looked directly into his eyes. “When he arrived, I didn’t like that kid at all. In a matter of months, he was vital in your life and I was jealous.”

Cristiano smiled a little. Even though everybody knew Marcelo had been jealous because of someone being closer to Cristiano than him, the Brazilian had never admitted it aloud. 

“But then I saw how good he was for you. I mean, everybody sees how good you are for him but they fail to see how he affects you.”

Cristiano was really annoyed by then. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Why the hell was he being lectured? “He was the one to break it. What part of the sentence don’t you get?”

“I get every part of the sentence. I get you have problems but, instead of running away to have meaningless fun, you should fight a bit.”

Great, had thought Cristiano. The only time Marcelo gets serious and it’s against him. 

“Plus, you’re not totally innocent, are you?”

Pepe’s voice cut Cristiano deep. “What do you mean?”

“You kind of took him for granted. You let him aside.”

Fortunately for both of them, Marcelo was there to stop Cristiano from punching his most ancient friend. He was fucked up. 

 

Time, of course, had proved his two friends right. He was starting to miss Fábio, to miss him really bad. Gareth and James were wonderful but, in the end, they were fan boys. They didn’t really know Cris, only Cristiano Ronaldo. He wondered how they would manage the little scars Fábio knew so well, then he admitted to himself that he wasn’t keen on sharing them with the young players anyway. It was too private, too meaningful. Cristiano had soon started to think that, maybe, he preferred a fight with Fábio over a magnificent party with those two. 

That’s when he had started to observe the blonde. How was he managing without him? Cristiano had been amazed at what he saw. Once so shy and lonely in this same team, Fábio was now at ease, laughing and teasing his teammates. He was especially close to Iker, the moments shared on the bench had revealed to be the beginning of a great friendship. Cristiano shook his head and smiled at himself, there was a time where those two couldn’t even stand each other. Well, a voice snorted inside his head, there was also a time where he would be laughing with you and look at you two now. It broke Cristiano’s heart to admit it but the blonde seemed fine enough without him.  
That’s when he started to realize that, maybe, Pepe had been right. He may have taken Fábio for granted. He may have left him aside a bit; hypnotized by the fresh air others seem to carry. He regretted the texts he didn’t send and the calls he didn’t make, he regretted the words of reassurance he hadn’t uttered; he regretted many things now, he regretted them deeply. He wanted to do something about it but he needed to be a good friend, at least that.

Cristiano and Fábio had indeed remained friends. Of course, they weren’t as close as they were before but they were cordial to each other and they still occasionally shared the same ride. They had both agreed they needed space from each other. Everything was still too fresh. They didn’t want to fuck up a friendship of years, neither the team because of a stupid personal feud. However, they didn’t want to push it either. Maybe, with time, they’d be able to get a closer friendship, more similar to the one they had once. For now, things were better cordial and distant. 

If Fábio wanted it that way, Cristiano would respect it. That changed this morning, however, when Cristiano saw Fábio laughing with James. Out of all the people on earth, he had to choose James? Cristiano wasn’t stupid, he had seen them both getting closer for the last week, much too closer for his taste. The final straw is Fábio’s hand caressing James’ arms because he can recognize the tenderness and invitation of the touch, he can because, not so long ago, it was directed at him. 

Sergio pats him on the back in a friendly way, feeling his pain, and whisper to him to take a deep breath and keep the training up. Cristiano does so but he swears to himself that, the moment the training is over, he needs to address the issue at hands. The minutes are excruciatingly long but, finally, they all head towards the changing room. He makes sure to approach Fábio and to offer him a ride back home in a detached way, totally casual. The blonde answers thanks, but no thanks because James, his new fucking best friend, has already offered on. The glare Cristiano gives James is not that casual anymore; he has power over that boy, he knows it and has every intention to take advantage of it. His younger clone wouldn’t want to anger him, would he? After a minute of intense and unjustified glaring, James finally gets the message and fakes to remember an impromptu rendez-vous that renders it impossible for him to take Fábio back home. His acting skills are so bad, observes Cristiano, that the blonde frowns –perfectly aware there’s something fishy- before dismissing it and accepting Cristiano’s. The Portuguese smiles and is very careful to take the longest time to get ready, he only stops when Marcelo finally exists the room, taken away by Pepe since the Brazilian can’t get a hint if his life depended on it. 

“Sometimes I forget how long you take. Are you ready, princess?”

Cristiano wants to smile at the use of the old nickname but there’s something cold and guarded about it. He closes his bag, sighs, and sits. Fábio looks at him, expectantly. 

“What was that?”

The blonde frowns. “What was what?”

“You and James. The smiles, the whispers, the hand caressing his arm. What was that Fábio?”

Cristiano is trying really hard to not raise his voice, although it’s getting harder by the minute. 

Fábio finally cracks a smile. “You jealous? Don’t worry Cris, I’m not taking away your nº1 fan boy.”

“It’s not him I’m jealous about.”

Cristiano couldn’t keep the words inside anymore. He instantly notices the blonde tensing up. 

“Stop it. You’ve got not right to be jealous about me.”

Cristiano snorts and stops controlling himself because, come on, Fábio isn’t that stupid. 

“Of all the people on earth, you have to take the one that behaves exactly like me? He moves like me! He talks like me! He does everything I do, Fábio!”  
“So?”

“So? So it fucking hurts to see you with him! Take whoever you want but not my fucking copy for god’s sake!”

Fábio laughs but Cristiano can tell it’s an angry laugh. “You’ve got some nerve. The moment the guy arrived, you ditched me because you’re so freaking in love with yourself that you were just too entertained by your own reflection to even look at me anymore.”

“And you’re so hopelessly in love with me that you get closer to my double because, if you can’t have me, he’s the closes thing, right? How pathetic is that!”

The moments the words are out of his mouth, Cristiano deeply regrets them. He doesn’t mean them. The blonde’s silence confirm his worst fear, he had hit a weak spot.

“Fáb, it wasn’t serious. I just wanted to hurt you. I...”

“Don’t.” 

The silence is tense and Fábio’s snort is the one to break it. “You wanted to hurt me. How fucked up is that, Cris?”

The blonde’s back is now in front of Cristiano and he simply can’t take it anymore. He gets up and take the man’s tiny waist between his arms, swearing to never let go again. He puts his mouth right against Fábio’s ear and whispers: “I’m so sorry, so, so sorry. Please, forgive me. I just can’t take it. Please.”

Fábio doesn’t answer but Cristiano can feel his body responding to his touch. The blonde’s breath is even now and his muscles, relaxed.

“I just missed you so bad, Fáb. I lost it.”

“I miss you too.”  
It’s barely a whisper but Cristiano manages to hear it.

“I thought I wanted fun and easy but I don’t Fáb. I prefer hard and sad with you over fun and easy with anyone else, anytime Fáb.”

The blonde sighs. “You’re stupid. Do you really think I’d try to replace you with him?”

Well, I have, thinks Cristiano without saying it out loud. Fortunately for him, Fábio’s different.

“This is ridiculous. It makes no sense for us to be apart.”

“We still have lots of problems Cris, big problems. Plus, you can’t drop me every time a new toy arrives.”

Cristiano nods before turning the man between his arms around, so he can face him. He’s instantly drawn into Fábio’s brown pools and he swears he hasn’t felt that much of an emotion since the break up. 

“I’ll never do that again, ever. It was just I being stupid, you know how it works.”

There’s the ghost of a smile on the blonde’s lips and Cristiano thinks that, maybe, they still stand a chance. 

“And I know we have serious problems, some of them almost impossible to solve but we can try to figure them out, can’t we? We can figure them out together, together we’re better.”

The sweet and insecure kiss that follows soon turns into a full and passionate make out session where all the frustration accumulated, the need of possession and the hunger get finally freed. Things were not all right because of that kiss, far from it but the kiss did hold the promise of a fight, a fight for something they both knew to be unique.


End file.
